טוֹב לִשְׁמֹעַ גַּעֲרַת חָכָם, אֵלּוּ הַדַּרְשָׁנִים. מֵאִישׁ שֹׁמֵעַ שִׁיר כְּסִילִים, אֵלּוּ הַמְתֻרְגְּמָנִין שֶׁמַּגְבִּיהִין קוֹלָם בְּשִׁיר לְהַשְׁמִיעַ אֶת הָעָם. דָּבָר אַחֵר, טוֹב לִשְׁמוֹעַ גַּעַרַת חָכָם, אֵלּוּ תּוֹכָחוֹת שֶׁהוֹכִיחַ משֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ. מֵאִישׁ שֹׁמֵעַ שִׁיר כְּסִילִים, אֵלּוּ בְּרָכוֹת שֶׁל בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע, שֶׁבָּהֶן גָּבַהּ לִבָּן וְנָפְלוּ בַּשִּׁטִּים.
“It is better to hear the rebuke of a wise man, than for a man to hear the song of fools” (Ecclesiastes 7:5). “It is better to hear the rebuke of a wise man,” these are the deliverers of homilies. “Than for a man to hear the song of fools,” these are the disseminators, who raise their voices in song so the people will hear. Alternatively, “it is better to hear the rebuke of a wise man” – these are the rebukes delivered by Moses. “Than for a man to hear the song of fools” – these are the blessings of the wicked Bilam, through which their hearts became haughty, and they had their downfall at Shitim.